


Suburbia 700

by Aladayle



Category: Dragon Ball
Genre: 90s Family Sitcom Parody, Adopted Children, Alternate Universe, Beriblu Is A Force Of Nature, Cop Ginyu, Dad Ginyu Is Best Ginyu, Ginyu Here Is Basically That Theoden Meme, I Cant Do Anything Without Getting Five New AU Ideas, I Don't Even Know, If Backwater Is Frasier, Lady Tygry Comics OCs, Lots of OCs - Freeform, Modernish AU, Multi, Neighbors, New Neighbors, OCs from other fics of mine, Past Child Abuse, Past Domestic Violence, Sitcom, This Is More Like Family Matters Or Fresh Prince, Twins, Tygry This Is Your Fault, What Have I Done, Wheelchairs, i guess
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-12-30
Updated: 2020-10-10
Packaged: 2021-02-26 00:07:24
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 5,497
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21884233
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Aladayle/pseuds/Aladayle
Summary: Captain Ginyu moves himself and his adopted saiyan daughter into a nice little house in a nice little neighborhood in the suburbs near West City. Old friends and new are found here, but the biggest challenge is being a father to a teenage girl.
Comments: 5
Kudos: 8





	1. Ginyu's Backstory

**Author's Note:**

> This is an AU I got inspired for from reading literally 2 pages of a particular scene from LadyTygryComic's comic "Unguarded", which is her take on Frieza's origin story. 
> 
> Tsukiryuu is her OC, as is Nova.
> 
> Kale is, as always, not the Super one and is mine.
> 
> Go read "Unguarded" here:
> 
> http://www.ladytygrycomics.com/Pages/Unguarded/Archives.aspx

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ginyu's recalls what lead up to Tsukiryuu's adoption, and moves with her into a new house in the quiet suburbs.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Mentions of drug use, abusive homes, etc. Sad setup , Ginyu is the best thing ever.

### Ginyu's Backstory

Ginyu felt silly dressing up in the Santa outfit, but his superior had pointed out how much the kids loved him. So he'd given in to it...just like he did last year. 

"And what do you want for Christmas?" 

Tsukiryuu was the last kid to get set on his lap, a dark-haired girl smaller than most her age. He smiled down at her, same as he did all the others, and tried to look encouraging. 

"I already got it." 

"Well there must be something you want. A toy? I can give you a teddy bear if you'd like," Ginyu suggested it. 

"I already have one," she said, "A police ossifer gave it to me when he took daddy away. I had to go with him and he said the bear was scared." 

"I'm sorry to hear that." Ginyu lied. He wasn't. It had been him that had taken her away, when his partner had dragged her father out in cuffs from the body that used to be her mother. Him that had given her the teddy bear. He said that the bear was scared and he needed a friend to talk to, just like her. 

_**She was trying to grab the bottle and I pushed her! She fell! It's not my fault!**_

"It's okay," she said, "They weren't very nice to each other." 

"People should be nicer," he said. 

_Will daddy go to jail_? 

_Yes, Tsukiryuu. I'm afraid he will._

He couldn't forget the conversation that day, even now looking down at her little smiling face. She was almost casual about it; and seeing it never stopped hurting. A kid in this situation, talking about it like it was nothing unusual. They saw the arguing, the drunkenness, the drug use, the fights, and thought it was normal. 

Yet somehow it had always seemed to be her that called 911. That last call, though... 

_Daddy pushed mommy and she fell down and she didn't get back up._. 

"All the other kids got something," Ginyu tried again. "Surely you want something." 

"I want a friend," Tsukiryuu said, after some consideration. "Nobody came to my tea party. If I had a friend I could have a tea party all by myself." 

"I'll come to your tea party," he replied. "I already talked to everyone else. Now where is it?" 

Tsukiryuu hopped down off his lap and, pulling on Ginyu's pant leg, lead him over to the table she was sitting at. A few slices from the big tree-shaped cake the precinct had donated to the orphanage were on a plate in the middle. 

Water was in the cups. But he could pretend. He pretended for a lot of things, why not for this too. 

"Daddy used to do this with me," she said, "But he put funny-smelling brown water in his cup." 

"And they don't do that here?" 

"No," Tsukiryuu replied. "The other kids put soda in their cups. Not tea. It's not right. They don't even pretend it's tea." 

He sat there with her, drinking the water and eating the cake. In a couple days, she'd get told she was getting adopted, that HE was adopting her--and he was trying to figure out a way to give her a hint of it, without outright saying so. The poor girl had been through so much already--bounced around several foster homes, never seeming to last more than a few months in each one. 

He'd gotten approved, home tested, personal references good...it all lined up perfectly. 

"Are you okay, Santa?" 

"Yes. I just have a lot to think about. There are so many kids here to make happy." 

Then he looked at her. 

"What would make you happy?" 

She thought for a minute, cake crumbs on her fingers as she touched her chin, no doubt mimicking someone. "Real tea. The weird boy's mommy used to give me tea before the police ossifer took me away." 

"The weird boy?" 

"He had horns and lived in an a-part-ment. Sometimes I would sit outside when mommy and daddy yelled at each other, and the weird boy's mommy would invite me over and give me tea. And the weird boy would give me candy to pull his brother's tail. But his mommy didn't like that." 

He'd have to remember that. 

* * *

Ginyu checked his watch and then looked back up as he sat in the lobby. 

Make the first day home a calm one, they had told him. Don't plan to surprise her with a party, make everything as even and smooth as possible. He was nervous. More nervous than he'd been when he was up for promotion to lieutenant, even. 

_Are you sure you want her? She's been jerked around a lot, Mr. Ginyu. We don't want to see her hurt again._

_Yes, I'm sure_. 

Tsukiryuu walked out into the lobby with a backpack and suitcase (still holding the teddy bear in her other arm), and looked confused when she saw him. "Os--off---Mr. Ginyu, are you here to take me to my new house?" 

He'd had something in mind to say, but it was lost. 

"Is that all you've got?" he asked, pointing at the suitcase and backpack. "Yes, that's what I'm here for, because you're going home with me." 

She was quiet for the longest time. Quiet all the way to the car and all the way back to his apartment building. Quiet when she went up the elevator with him, and into his apartment. Quiet when she saw the room he'd had made up for her, all pink and girly as he could manage it. 

Then, when she did speak, it nearly broke his heart. 

"No joking?" 

"No, no joking." 

* * *

Looking back on that, and seeing Tsukiryuu now, it made him feel even more that he'd made a difference in the world. 

Tsukiryuu had been five then. Hoarding food under her bed, in her pillow, in her closet, in the bathroom cabinet, even. Getting ants in every conceivable part of her room, sleeping in the dresser drawers if city noises got too loud outside. Not knowing what to do with so many toys. 

Rampant apologies if she knocked anything over. 

"You okay, dad?" 

"Huh? Oh, yeah, I'm fine," Ginyu said. "I was just thinking about how big you've gotten, that's all." 

"Maybe not go all misty-eyed when you're carrying your trophies? It's raining, you don't want to get that gymnastics trophy up your eye." 

"Right! Right, sorry. Boys?" 

"Coming, Captain! SOMEBODY, I won't say who, was arseing around in the trailer and nearly dropped your big suitcase into a puddle!" Jeice shouted back. 

"Liar!" 

"I don't care who was arseing around, get inside with those boxes before you break your necks on the ramp!" 

"Where do we put 'em?" 

"The front room, Tsukiryuu and I will sort them out. I'm not going to keep you boys out all day, not with traffic heading for the city being so bad in the afternoon." 

He'd decided to make a move out of the city once he got promoted to Captain and could actually afford to live in this nice suburbian neighborhood. Two floors, three bedrooms, a den, a front and back yard, a pool, two bathrooms, and 30 years shackling himself to West City Central Bank. It was expensive and the commute would be a little longer, but he could manage it. 

The better schools out here didn't hurt. 

He DID get the boys to help him get the larger furniture in, though. Couch, beds, washing machine and dryer, and so forth. Pizza was ordered in shortly afterwards, and after inhaling in everybody went to go start hooking things up. 

The boys headed home a couple hours after that, with a few wads of cash each. 

Ginyu headed into the den with his boxful of trophies with the intent of setting them up. A man-cave, most would probably think. What he hoped for was a study, a nice quiet place to do some reading after a long shift. 

Tsukiryuu, on the other hand... 

She cracked open a soda and headed outside to see if any of the neighbors were out and about.


	2. The Twins And Weird Guy

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tsukiryuu meets a pair of twins from next door, and is warned about "the weird guy."

### The Twins And Weird Guy

Tsukiryuu stepped onto the sidewalk and glanced up and down it. There was a green guy two houses down on the opposite side of the street mowing his lawn, but when her eyes met his he instantly turned the mower around and didn't look back. Then she looked at the house across the street--one of it not _the_ biggest in the neighborhood. Perfectly manicured lawn, nice pair of cars in the driveway. 

"Dad, it's fine, I'm just going to see the new neighbors," she heard a female voice say. "Go on and go to work, we're fine here. Dinner's in the oven anyway." 

There was male grumbling, and a moment later a car started up in the house next door's driveway, turned onto the street, and was soon out of sight. 

A few moments after that, a girl her age appeared, pushing someone in a wheelchair--someone she assumed must be the girl's brother. 

In face they were androgynous and near-identical. But where the girl had a tan going (and looked, well, like a girl), the boy looked pale and sickly. His arms were thin, as were his legs. And though he smiled he seemed to wheeze a little when he breathed, despite the oxygen concentrator in his lap. 

"Hi, I guess you're the new neighbor," the girl said lifting a hand to wave hello, her other arm holding an umbrella over the boy. "I'm Kale, this is my twin brother Charmont." 

"Hello," Charmont added. He lifted a hand too, but it was more of a jerky movement, like a weight was tied to his hand and he was pulling hard against it. 

"I'm Tsukiryuu," she said, "Nice to meet you. I was hoping I'd get to say hi to somebody today, I didn't want things to be awkward when the school bus came up next Monday and I jumped on it not knowing anyone." 

"Well...now you know someone!" 

They must be saiyans, she thought. Their stiff dark hair was a dead giveaway. Maybe they'd be able to tell her more--she hadn't had a lot of chance to learn. Or rather, she hadn't given herself that chance. 

_Remember what dad always says,_ she thought, _There are some things that might always hurt, but sometimes you have to push past them to get where you want to go._

"How long do you think you'll be here?" Kale asked. "Most people don't usually stay in that house long. I keep hearing people say it's not big enough for their family." 

"It's just me and my dad, and I'm hoping at least until I graduate, probably longer. We moved out from the city," Tsukiryuu said. "Dad's job is there but we can have a real house if we live out here." 

"That's why we're here, too," Charmont said. "But our dad says rent is too high in the city, and that the air around here is a lot cleaner. Better for me to breathe. More pollen, but--" 

"--less shit," Kale finished. 

"You know you don't have to do that--" 

"--whenever we meet someone new. I know, but it's--" 

"--a good way to break the ice. She gets it, we're twins. You can stop now." 

"Only because you asked so nicely," Kale teased. "Sorry, we do that a lot. Anyway, is there anything you want to know about the neighborhood?" 

"The neighbors is one thing. What's up with that green guy down the street?" 

"Oh, that's Piccolo," Charmont said, "He doesn't talk much to anyone. Mows his lawn, waters his flowers, that's about the only time we see him in the front yard. He has this box of sand in his back yard that he rakes and puts rock on and sits in the middle of for hours, though." 

"He's got to have a job, or something, but--" 

"--nobody really knows." 

"What about that house across the street?" 

"That's where the weird guy lives," Charmont said. "I say guy...I mean, he's our age, but he's just...kind of a creep. Before you moved in he'd always gawk at girls that came over to your house's pool in their bathing suits." 

"You'd probably do that too," Kale replied. "In fact I think you--" 

"--did take advantage of the window. That's different. I'm admiring them, not--" 

"--gawking, I know." 

He laughed, wheezing, but he laughed. 

"What's his name?" 

"Frieza," Kale said, "I think he just needs a girlfriend or something. He doesn't seem like he gets out a whole lot. His brother, on the other hand..." 

"I knew a Frieza when I was really little," Tsukiryuu replied, "Horns, purple thing on his head?" 

"That's him. Bit short for his age." 

"Huh...small world." 

She wondered how much he'd changed. Candy to pull his brother's tail, always wanting his brother disrupted somehow. It was a pleasant memory amidst a lot of chaos, and shouting, and... 

She almost cringed at the thought. She didn't want to think too much about back then. That was before dad had rescued her. Before he adopted her and she started calling him dad. She'd talk to him at some point, but for now, she'd keep a small distance. 

_Who'd have thought I'd find them here?_

"And his brother? What's he like?" 

"That's Cooler," Kale said. "Quiet. Works out a lot--" 

"--and he's practically a genius," Charmont finished. "We're in a couple AP classes together." 

They chatted like that for several minutes, and briefly Tsukiryuu glanced across the street to see if she could catch a glimpse of anyone. Frieza, here, across the street. That weird boy, grown nearly up and still strange. 

And she saw him in the front yard, having just come out with a glass of something. He practically dropped it, staring at her, but steadied himself a moment later... 

...and she saw his eyes traveling down.


	3. Frieza

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Frieza introduces himself to Tsukiryuu.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> OCs in this chapter:
> 
> Nova - pink with red biogems. Frieza's mother (belongs to LadyTygryComics)
> 
> Please note: Frieza's opinions on Cooler's career choice are not mine. He is a jealous teenager.

### Frieza

She was _hot_. 

Frieza couldn't not stare at that girl across the street. The sense of vague familiarity was there, but what was important was her figure. Wow! 

He hadn't seen a figure like this since the cheerleader twins, and they'd moved out ages ago. Life was so unfair sometimes--but this, this was a stroke of good luck for him beyond what he could've hoped for. 

She was talking to Kale and Charmont. Maybe they'd lose interest, and he could swan on over there and wow the girl with his smooth personality. She'd be unable to resist his charm; he didn't know many girls he couldn't wow. They were easy to impress, after all, when one had money... 

"Frieza, stop staring, it's not polite." 

Nova stepped onto the front porch, newspaper in hand. "I mean it, girls don't like it when you do that." 

"Mom, you don't know what girls like," he complained, "It's different now. You have to show them you're interested. Dad says--" 

"Your father doesn't know what girls like, either," she said, "If you want to introduce yourself, go do that." 

"But that's showing my hand too soon!" 

"Other boys will be willing to show their hand soon, and those boys tend to get the girls. Go say hello," she said, "Now." 

"Uggggh, fine!" 

Dad had a few things to say on what women liked, but maybe his mother could be right, too. He kept getting told that no one was the same, it could be different from person to person. They all liked to be admired of course, he didn't have to stop doing that. Maybe it was the talking part, but he'd always had trouble with that... 

Despite all that talk, he was about to turn around and go back into his house when down the sidewalk he saw his brother jogging up--and that was what pushed him to head across the street. He couldn't let his brother get to her first, no way in hell! 

Frieza glared at him as he got closer. Cooler thought he was so--ugh, _cool_ \--jogging around with that stupid sweatshirt with that stupid MARINE CORPS text and that weirdo eagle and globe. Later, he'd be doing push-ups, and pull-ups. "Training," he called it. It made no sense to him. Jogging wasn't training, it was running for weaklings. And that other stuff did nothing but keep their back yard busy and full of grunts. Cooler wasn't even IN the Marines yet, he didn't graduate until June! 

It wasn't fair. 

Girls seemed to love Cooler, just because he was going into the military, and it _wasn't fair_. 

Across the street... 

"Hello," he said suddenly to the girl, "I'm--my name's Frieza." 

She was taller than she looked from the other side, and it almost made him nervous. But she looked like she was smiling. 

"My name's Tsukiryuu," she said. "I think we've met before?" 

"We have?" 

"I was four or five, you gave me candy to pull your brother's tail," she said. "You used to say that you liked having a minion around." 

Oh, so THAT'S why she'd looked familiar. This babe was that annoying little shrimp from when he was little? Wow. 

Just wow. 

"Did you and your family move in over here?" 

_Dumb, Frieza. Dumb. You sound like a fucking idiot_ , he thought, _Stop sounding like an idiot!_

"Me and my father did, yes," Tsukiryuu said. "I got--adopted." 

"Who adopted you?" 

A man emerged from the house at that point, and Frieza looked up, trying to paint a smile on his face. It was hard to--that guy was huge, and looked like he could bench-press a truck. 

"Him. He's a police officer," Tsukiryuu said. "Dad, come and say hi, these are some of the kids from the neighborhood." 

"Nice to meet all of you," Ginyu's tone went professional when he saw all of them. "I'd like to take the time to say that I hope you all will feel comfortable bringing things to my attention if you feel unsafe. I've heard this is a safe neighborhood, and if everyone cooperates it stays that way." 

"Yes, sir." 

The twins both said it, but Frieza could practically see stars in Kale's eyes. 

"You're so _tall_ ," she said, sounding in awe. 

"Yes, well, that does help on the job," Ginyu said quickly. Then he looked at Frieza. "Is your family home?" 

"Yes," Frieza replied, feeling more than a little on edge. The man looked stricter than his own father, and he didn't like this feeling of being beneath the guy. He was too damn tall, that's what it was. 

"I'll go and introduce myself, then." 

He walked past them, glancing back just in time to see Frieza giving Tsukiryuu another stare. 

Frieza was already white, or he'd have paled when he looked up and met Ginyu's narrowed eyes. 

Great, so her dad didn't like him. That was fine. No one's dad liked him, not even his own dad. 

He could still get the girl, though. She was already being nicer than most of the others he'd ever taken a liking to. 

He could TOTALLY handle this.


	4. Grading

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Frieza gets a talking to about his grades and talks to Tsukiryuu.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you're familiar with my work, you'll know Winter.
> 
> For those not in the know - he's a very old Arcosian, but here I've aged him down. He's more like late 50s-early 60s.

### Grading

Winter looked down at the chemistry test with the red-circled 'F' and then looked back up at Frieza. "I know you can do better." 

Frieza shifted in place. 

"YOU know you can do better. We've talked about this, Frieza, you're going to fail this year if you don't shape up soon. That means being held back. Try, and you could still get a high C, maybe even a B." 

"But not an A." 

"No, not an A," Winter replied. "Is that what this is about? You can't get an A+ every time, so you don't bother trying at all?" 

No answer. 

"This is important, Frieza. I need you to pay attention." 

"My father--" 

"Your father agrees with me," Winter said quickly, sharply. "As does your mother. Is there something wrong with the class? Do you need extra hel--" 

"I _don't_ need extra tutoring, I'm not stupid," Frieza snapped, "I am not that dumb!" 

"Needing tutoring doesn't mean you're dumb. It just means there are some subjects you aren't as good at as others. No one is the best at everything." 

He let Frieza go after that, burying his face in his hands and sighing deeply once the door was closed. The boy was smart, he knew it, but he'd spent so long not having to study that he just...didn't when it became necessary or something. There had to be something that would make him take his grades seriously... 

Gods only knew he didn't want the headache next year. He had helped many a student, but trying to help Frieza was like talking to a brick wall. 

"How the hell do I reach this kid?" 

* * *

Tsukiryuu across the street was outside again, so he'd made a point of being outside too. When she looked up and saw him staring, she waved. Somewhat awkwardly, he waved back. 

_Alright, you have to impress her. Go over and turn on the charm, she won't be able to resist you_. 

She wouldn't. 

_But what if she did?_

He took a deep breath. Not being an idiot, of course, looked both ways (oh, joy, Cooler was coming up the sidewalk) and crossed the street towards her. 

Her being taller than him didn't matter; being at eye level with boobs was practically the greatest thing since sliced bread. He felt almost _lucky_ to be so short, for the first time in ages. His heart thumped wildly away in his chest and despite trying to pump himself up beforehand, all he could get out to her was, "Hi." 

"Hi there," she said, smiling a little, "You know, I keep thinking about how weird it is that I ended up across the street from you again." 

"Maybe someone's trying to tell you something." 

That would impress her. Make it sound like it was fate, make it sound a little romantic, and she'd probably eat it up. 

"Maybe. Things are a little different from the last time we met...you can't bribe me with candy anymore." Here she laughed, and he'd have felt a bit mad if she hadn't stepped closer. 

"How am I supposed to bribe you, then? I have money." 

"Better not let my dad hear you say that. I don't think he likes you. Why, I don't know. Do you have a record or something?" 

"No," Frieza said quickly. "Perhaps he doesn't care for my father and includes me just because I'm related. I've never done anything to make policemen dislike me." 

"That's good to hear. I wouldn't mind catching up with your mom, and maybe you, too. If you want me over, of course." 

"I'd love to have you over." 

It was a victory. A small one, but he'd take what he could get. 

Then, suddenly, he added, "Are you any good at biology?" 

"Average, I guess? I just started the class this semester, I'm not sure I'd be much help..." 

"That makes two of us," Frieza replied, "Maybe when you come over, I could--" 

"Tsukiryuu!" 

Inwardly cursing, Frieza looked over at the source of the voice: Ginyu. The man wasn't exactly glaring at him, but judging from the fact that he couldn't have been out that door more than a minute and was already calling Tsukiryuu away from him, he didn't have to. 

It didn't matter. 

He always got what he wanted, and what he wanted right now was Tsukiryuu.


	5. Mother

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Nova becomes reacquainted with Tsukiryuu. Cold gets some bad news.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> OCs in the following chapter:
> 
> Nova - Frieza's mom, an Arcosian OC  
> Tsukiryuu, a saiyan OC 
> 
> Both of the above characters belong to @LadyTygryComics
> 
> Chill - Cold's oldest brother

### Mother

The new neighor girl came over to say hello in the late afternoon, just before dinner, when Nova was outside picking a few lone cherries from the trees in the side yard. Her berry bushes weren't quite ripe enough for picking yet, but the cherries were good enough for the moment. 

"I don't know if you remember me," the girl said, "But I remember you, and I just wanted to say thank you." 

"For what? You're right, I don't remember you." 

Nova thought for a moment. This girl was a saiyan, obviously, and there was something _vaguely_ familiar about her, but nothing she could pin down. 

"I was four or five," Tsukiryuu said, "And I used to come over to your apartment, and you'd give me tea and sandwiches and cookies." 

Then it hit Nova, all at once. "Oh! You're little Ryuu? What a small world we live in! Look at you, you've grown so tall! Where--where do you live now?" 

"Across the street, like last time," Tsukiryuu laughed, gesturing to the house across the road, "Except this time my dad's not a drunk and I'm not pulling your oldest's tail." 

"I still--I never thought--" Nova set her basket down and smile widely, "I'm so glad to see you got out of that awful house. What happened, did a relative take you?" 

"No, I got adopted by a cop," Tsukiryuu said, "Captain Ginyu now. He's a dork, but...but he's a great dad." 

"That's the best kind." 

"How's...how's Frieza? Is he still annoying his brother?" 

"As much as any younger sibling is expected to," Nova replied. She picked her basket back up and continued picking. "He's jealous, I think. Cooler's joining the Marines when he graduates and is getting a lot of attention from girls, and...well..." 

"Maybe Frieza'll get over it. He keeps eyeballing me whenever I'm outside." 

Nova couldn't help but half-laugh at that. "Maybe so. He eyes every girl that walks down the street. I wouldn't mind if he kept his sights on you, though. You seem like a sweet girl, and I assume your father's taught you well enough about boys." 

"They like to grab things, they're full of hormones and only want one thing, condoms don't always work, I'll run background checks on anyone you date...yeah. Yeah, he's covered all his bases." 

"He won't find anything with Frieza," Nova said, "Aside from bad grades, that is." 

They spent another few minutes talking, and Tsukiryuu walked away with a handful of fresh cherries. 

Nova watched her go with a smile. How strange it was that little Ryuu had grown up and was now commanding her son's attention in a different way. Girls motivated him when nothing else would, so maybe Tsukiryuu could be a good influence on him. 

* * *

Cold was not happy. 

He was never happy, but today was even worse than usual. He had barely had time to get home from the office when his eldest brother called him and said, "We need to talk about mother." 

"Not now," he'd said. "Why didn't you ask me while I was there? Is she ill?" 

"No. It's--" there was a pause, and the sound of shuffling papers. "She wants to come visit you for a while." 

"No," Cold replied, "She's your problem, Chill, and I'm not going to--" 

"Look, we all put it to a vote. You haven't housed her yet this year, or at all in the past few years, so you're it." 

"What about MY vote?" he snapped. 

"You weren't here." 

"Son of a--" 

"You've got space, Cold, don't give me that. I've been in that house. Cooler's going to move out when he graduates, you'll have your rooms back in a few months. Stop whining." 

"This is a damned conspiracy, is what it is. Shouldn't she want to live in the city with all her rich friends?" 

"No, she very much wants to visit her baby boy," Chill said. 

Cold glossed over that. It was a lie, through and through, he knew it. His mother just wanted to irritate the one of her sons that didn't live in the city for a while. "You said 'rooms'..." 

Oh no, no. No. 

No. 

"Yes, rooms. You didn't think mother was going to go anywhere without her maid, did you?" 

"Not that woman, Chill." Cold covered his forehead with his hand and realized he was sweating. "Gods, just don't tell me that. Don't tell me _that woman_ is still--" 

"She is." 

Cold hung up, grabbed a pillow, and screamed into it. 

That woman, that squat, blue little women that got paid almost as much as HE did, that nightmare with a yardstick, the devil incarnate, was going to be living in his house.


	6. Neighbor

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Cooler has an unusual running partner. Frieza's grandmother arrives.

### Neighbor

"I haven't gone this fast in years!" 

Charmont was laughing as Cooler ran behind, pushing his wheelchair. The latter had offered to do a fireman carry, but they'd ended up agreeing that somebody would probably think he was being kidnapped or something and cause a whole lot of unnecessary drama. 

It was the fourth lap Cooler had made of both sides of the street, and his legs were screaming. Breathing hard, he came slowly to a stop in front of Tsukiryuu's house across the street from his own. 

"You're breathing...okay, right?" Cooler asked, trying to catch his own breath. 

"Fine," Charmont wheezed, "Better than usual, actually. YOU sound like your lungs are about to explode." 

"If they do, maybe they'll stop burning!" 

That would almost be a mercy compared to right now. 

"So have you done the rest of your workouts yet, or are you planning to bench press your house or something?" 

"I don't bench press that much, it doesn't really do anything," Cooler protested. 

"Surely pull-ups aren't doing all that." Charmont slowly lifted one of his hands and shakily waved it backward, at Cooler's arms. "Keep going and your whole body'll turn into a bicep." 

"Ha ha--" 

"What are you two arguing about?" Kale emerged from the house, Tsukiryuu close behind. 

"Cooler's going to get all the girls, that's what," Charmont said, "Look at this guy, he's a walking muscle. Leave some for the rest of us, man!" 

"Oh, no, I don't--" Cooler stammered a bit, "--I don't have time to date. I graduate in June and I sign myself over to Uncle Sam. Who's going to want to date me then?" 

"Probably a lot of girls," Tsukiryuu replied, "Dad says girls stare at him all the time." 

"Yes, but that's different!" 

"It's the uniform," she added, "A lot of girls like a uniform." 

"Well--" 

As if on cue, Ginyu emerged from the house, in full uniform. Kale's eyes lit up and she grinned, watching every step from the front door to his car. 

"Like now, for example." Charmont piped up. "Earth to Kale. Stop staring, you'll creep him out." 

"I will _not_ ," Kale protested, "What's the harm in staring? Just look at the muscles on _those_ arms!" 

"I'd rather not." 

Ginyu waved at Tsukiryuu, and she went on over. The usual instructions followed--he was doing a night shift, she needed to go to bed at a reasonable hour, no parties, and definitely no inviting over any boys. 

"I'm not even dating anybody, dad!" 

"I've seen the way that kid across the street stares at you," Ginyu replied, "Just making sure." 

He got into the car and drove off; while Cooler went back across the street. 

"You know," Charmont said in a low voice, as Kale was wheeling him inside their house, "Next time I think I'll let Cooler fireman carry me, really make dad's head explode." 

"Like dad isn't stressed enough already, we're already chancing it by letting him run you about," Kale replied. "I might as well tell him I'm dating Tsukiryuu's dad." 

* * *

Cold's knuckles were white as his mother's car came into the driveway. Just seeing that blue head with that bowl of white hair was enough to send him back to childhood and memories of her stick hitting his legs. 

Paste on a smile, he thought. That would be easy enough, he hadn't seen his mother in a few months. She hadn't been there to make everything miserable. 

"Breathe," Nova said softly, "It's just your mother." 

"You don't know what she's like. She likes you, she won't--" 

The door opened. Out came the maid, who walked around and opened the door for Cold's mother to get out. 

_A stiff drink_ , Cold thought _That'll fix this._

Floe approached them. A frown graced her pale purple face as she took in the sight of her son--looking like he was about to be sick. Was he that nervous? When had she ever deserved that kind of reception? 

"Relax," she snapped at him, "I'm not the devil, I'm your mother." 

"We're--" Nova cut in, "--we're glad to see you, Floe." 

"You are," she replied, "My son looks like he thinks I'm going to shoot him." 

"Well, he wasn't exactly warned you'd be coming. His brother called last-minute," Nova added, "And we barely got everything ready in time." 

"I see. Beriblu, go ahead and take everything in, you know where I usually stay when I'm here." 

Wordlessly, Beriblu obeyed. She cast a critical eye at Cold, who thought he tried to hide it, visibly cringed. 

"Now," Floe turned to Cooler, and a genuine smile crossed her face, "What's this I hear about you becoming a soldier soon?"


End file.
